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Bogotá’s Gold Museum

20 September, 2018

Recently, I visited Colombian capital with my husband and we were delighted with the beauty of the city. We stayed in the north zone, near shopping centers, stores and restaurants, but we could not stop visiting the historic center of Bogotá and its emblematic gold museum (Museo del Oro).

Museum

We arrived at the center and went to museum, where we bought tickets for the entrance. We did the tour of approximately 2 hours, walking through each of the exhibition halls and reading the information related to gold and its relationship with Colombian culture. As a relevant fact, I can comment that museum was inaugurated in 1939, since then thousands pieces of: gold, ceramics and textile have been protected.

Exposition halls

Working of metals

People and gold in prehispanic Colombia

Cosmology and symbolism

Offering

Exploratorium

In addition, there is a store, a cafeteria and a temporary exhibition hall in the basement.

Working of metals

Our first visit was to the room associated with metallurgy and how it was carried out in the origins. In this space we observe different tools used by the natives for goldmithing. In addition, we learned how mining was implemented using hammers and the melting process.

People and gold in prehispanic Colombia

As you can see in the photographs, it is an incredible room, where we could see the way the pre-Hispanic inhabitants used the gold pieces as part of their culture. The so-called shamans had characteristic costumes made in gold, more than 2000 years ago. These costumes include the use of masks and many accessories.

Cosmology and symbolism

Loaded with mysticism and associated with the shamans of the previous room. Here, we observe exhibitions of objects that have a high symbolism in indigenous history and the way they saw the world.

As part of the legend, it is said that shaman had communication with the spirits to ask questions about the future.

Offering

Muisca raft

Following the route, we enter the hall where previous elements are combined: mining, metallurgy, prehispanic culture and customs full of symbolism. All represented in a spectacular gold raft, famous because it shows one of ancestral rituals.

“Muisca raft” refers to offerings made by tribes to gods. According to what we read in museum, ceremony was called “El Dorado” and consisted of a cacique (tribe boss), duly accompanied, entered a lagoon to throw gold and emeralds.

The ritual of offering, is interpreted in the museum in a dark space, decorated with music and illuminations of gold objects (by phases), these were arranged in such a way that seemed suspended.

Finally, the play of lights surprised to focus an emerald embedded in the ground, simulating that it was underwater, along with numerous pieces of precious metal. -It was phenomenal! The initial photo of the publication, corresponds this room.

Exploratorium

It is a very beautiful room, which promotes learning of the museum’s heritage history, through interactive techniques. Among them, board games like “Patoli con ají”.

Final reflection

The visit to Gold Museum in Bogotá was a very pleasant experience, full of valuable information. My favorite part was the hall with indigenous music, allusive to rituals, I also loved the rest of the floors and the way in which the works were presented. Really, It was wonderful to know a little about our ancestors!